Battle and Peace
by jypzrose
Summary: Barron Battle has escaped and Warren has disappeared. Some fear he's gone rogue, or worse, gone to join his father. Against her better instincts, Layla Williams has agreed to go after him, knowing that his allegience isn't the only thing at stake.
1. Prologue

**Battle and Peace**

**Jypz**

AN-Hrm…not sure of the name. Wanted something powerful and all that. I think I just silly. Anyway, prologue of a story that will probably take me a long time to write. This is the first thing I've written really since my mother passed in February. Any Spanish translation that is wrong, blame Google. Thanks for reading.

Summary-Barron Battle has escaped and disappeared, leaving the hero and citizen communities at large in a state of panic. Warren Peace has ceased all communication, causing some to think he's gone rogue to hunt down his father, or worse, join him. One person gets the call to seek Warren out, one person that turned her back on heroes and sidekicks and the Agency of Supers years ago. Against her instincts, Layla Williams agrees, fully aware that more than Warren's allegiance is at stake.

* * *

**Prologue**

Layla Williams could count on one hand the times in her life she'd been truly terrified.

She wasn't an easily frightened child. The dark, monsters under the bed or bogeymen in her closet didn't bother her. As a teen, she was twittery and nervous, mainly because she hadn't known how to deal with her feeling about Will, but never afraid.

The first time wasn't when Gwen tried to turn all the adult supers into babies to create a legion of super villains, like most would think. Or even when Will Stronghold had been thrown out the window to his impending doom, only to fly as if he'd been doing so for years. Something within her had known he would be all right.

No, the first time was when that same Will Stronghold dropped to one knee to ask her to marry him. By that time, Layla's freshman year in college, she'd realized that she wasn't in love with him. Not anymore. Her fear, her deepest shame, was that she had to hurt him. The thought that she might lose him forever as even a friend had struck her dumb with fear. So much so, she'd said yes, without much thought.

Their engagement lasted three weeks. And her worst fear had come true when it ended.

The second was when a tsunami had ripped through the small south Asian town she was visiting. She'd spent the week trying to help the struggling crops grow, to save the lives of the village. Then the storm had ripped through, killing at least half. All of her power of vegetation couldn't help when the winds and water were tearing the island apart.

She still had nightmares of the sounds, the screams. The aftermath.

The third and perhaps the worst, was the phone call she'd gotten from her mother, telling Layla that her father- a citizen-had had a heart attack. Her strong, robust, doctor father, who saved lives on a daily basis and was just as much a hero as any man with super powers, was laying in a hospital bed with little chance of survival.

She still could barely think about that, even though he _had_ survived and was thriving, playing with her younger sisters kids.

None of them, however, were quite like this oily terror sliding through her as she stepped onto the cool tile of the hacienda, surrounded by stocky Mexican men with guns. Unlike Will, bullets could hurt her and Layla was rethinking her plan with each step.

"Por favor. Please. She pay me. My children, I need the money. Please, no bring me to Senor Battle…" Layla's companion was throwing her under the bus in heavily accented English. She wondered if he thought the begging would be better received in English, since he'd been going in Spanish since they'd been captured.

"Callate!" The man in front of them hissed in a gravelly voice. Layla looked around, the wide-open space of the veranda making way to the dark double doors that surely led to her doom.

But maybe she was being melodramatic.

"No, no, no." Her companion, Ramón, started crossing himself and muttering under his breathe in rapid fire Spanish. Layla could practically smell his regret at accepting her money to bring her here in the sweat that glistened on his dark skin. She couldn't blame him. Her heart was thundering in her chest like a freight train and a cold sweat was trailing ice down her spine. Everything she'd ever heard about Barron Battle, both lie and truth, swirled in her brain until the man she was about to face seemed as large and horrific as any Mythic beast.

"After you, senorita." The lead man leered at her, smiling wide to show a flash of a gold tooth. His eyes rolled over her brazenly, taking in her mud stained jeans and t-shirt, making her bare toes curl against the tile. She realized then that she'd lost her shoes somewhere and that made her feel even more vulnerable. Defiantly, she tossed her copper hair off her shoulder and leveled what she hoped was a scathing look at him. Chuckling, he turned the knob and the door swung open. Layla tramped down hard on her fear, straightened her shoulders and took her first step through the door.

The room was dim, the shutters closed against the harsh midday sun. It took just a few seconds for her eyes to adjust. There was nothing in the room. It was just a great open space with hallways leading off in different directions. The air was cool, much cooler than she had expected, and a shiver raced over her skin. Confusion pulled her brows together and she turned to look at the man.

"Layla Williams."

The voice boomed around them, seeming to rattle her bones. Her eyes shot around the room, panic pushing her heart up into her throat and she took a step back. She bumped into Ramón, who jumped away from her like she'd scalded him.

She heard their captors snicker at their surprise and instinct had her reaching out. A tree branch broke through one of the shuttered windows, twining its way towards the little group. The men cursed, Ramón started praying in earnest and all of them scrambled as another branch joined the first, then another. Layla threw her arms out, controlling them like her own appendages. She knocked the guns away from the men and broke out several of the other windows. Her eyes were open but she stared blind ahead of her, her control never wavering as a gust of wind whipped her hair around her face.

"ENOUGH!" That same voice lashed out, followed by a burst of heat that seared Layla's skin and broke her concentration. The branches were scorched before they hit the ground, their bark black and smoking. Layla felt hard hands grab her, felt the rough cut of rope in her skin as she came back to herself. Usually she had complete control of her powers. This time, she didn't and it left her groggy and disoriented.

"Is that necessary?" A voice asked, spilling over her like warmth on a cold night. She looked up, her eyes searching until they fell on him. Relief washed over her and she had to bite her cheek to keep from smiling. Warren Peace stood in the middle of the room, facing away from the small group, speaking to someone Layla couldn't see.

"I think it is." A man emerged almost as if from out of thin air. Layla gasped as she looked at the man come to a stop in front of Warren. There was no doubt in her mind that she was staring at Barron Battle himself. Aside from heavy lines cut into his face and the white streaking through his short dark hair, he was what she imagined Warren might look like in twenty years. Beauty cut by hard time, a prince darkened by murder.

"Don't worry son. We won't hurt your little friend." Barron reached up and placed a hand on Warren's shoulder, an indulgent smile curling the older man's lip.

"I didn't say she was my friend. I just don't like to see a woman mistreated." Warren countered, keeping his gaze averted from Layla, even as Barron moved toward her. She pushed away the sting those words caused, and focused her attention on the most infamous criminal in Super Hero history.

"Yes, yes. And a beautiful woman she is, indeed. Are you sure this isn't a friend of yours? Seems I remember hearing you went to Prom or something with a friend of Stronghold's." Barron paused in front of her, raising a hand to brush a lock of russet hair out of her face. "And this lovely lady fits the description."

"That was a lifetime ago." Warren answered, his gaze barely flicking over her. She searched his face for something, anything that would clue her into what he was thinking. But as ever, Warren was a mystery.

"Nothing to say for yourself, my dear? Since you so rudely entered my complex without an invitation, one would think you would be trying to beg for your life."

_He doesn't mince words, does he? _Layla thought to herself. Forcing her gaze away from Warren, she looked into the eyes of the man that gave him life. The dark orbs staring back at her were cold hard disks of malice and cruelty. An involuntary shudder made her jerk and she felt sickened at the delight that came over his features at her distress.

"Not much of a talker, ay?" He sneered down at her, and Layla was sure that if he had a mustache to twirl, he would. She thought she heard Warren snort, but she refused to look back at him, her attention squarely on the viper turning to face her once more.

"What are you doing here, my dear. And I expect an answer this time."

Defiance had her raising her chin and she quirked a brow at him. Probably not a smart thing, she knew. But as she hadn't really thought of a cover story, Layla figured silence was probably best.

A cry burst from her lips to join Ramón's harsh sob of fear when Barron lit up. Unlike Warren, where only his hands and triceps burst into flame, Barron Battle turned into a walking fireball. His head to his feet were covered in flames and the only features visible were the shiny black orbs of his eyes.

"Oh God," she hissed, stepping back and running square into the chest of her captor. She felt give as he too stepped back, the image of his master in flames apparently unnerving him as well.

"I told you, Layla Williams, daughter of Siren and friend the Stronghold family. The same family that put me into that prison, I…expect…an answer." Barron advanced on her, and Layla found herself stumbling backwards as her captors and Ramón scattered out of Barron's line of sight. She fell, hard on her butt, her hands hitting the floor painfully as she tried to push away from him.

"Barron! Stop." Warren put one flaming hand on his father's shoulder and jerked him around. "Enough."

Layla stared wide-eyed at the two men, one completely in flames, the other only engulfed to the wrist. Warren stared hard at his father, the sharp planes of his face made sharper by the orange light dancing over them. He was stunning in that moment, a fire god controlling not only the element, but also his own father. Layla felt her heart trip and fall in her chest, and the prick of tears in her eyes. If she'd ever doubted her feelings for him, there was no doubting them now. As his gaze quickly met hers, the flash of concern in them just as quickly covered up, she knew she loved him.

With a chuckle, Barron powered down, shrugging off the flaming hand of his son as if it were a fly. "As I said…a friend of yours." There was something in Barron's voice. Something hard and cold, that had Layla scrambling to stand. No easy feat with her hands tied behind her back.

"What if she is?" Warren finally acquiesced, positioning himself between her and his father, the broad length of his shoulders almost hiding Barron from her.

"Oh, it's of no matter to me." Barron replied, his voice deceptively mild. He turned, clasping his hands behind his back as he looked at Warren. "How do you know she hasn't brought the Enforcers with her?"

"Look at her. She's alone. No weapons, no tracking device."

"That we can see. I'll admit, she is refreshingly unadorned. Most women now a days where much to much make-up and jewelry. However, I can tell you, there is more than one way to hide something you don't want found. Isn't that right, my dear?"

"I've gone rogue." Layla spoke for the first time, her voice shaky and dry from not speaking for so long. She was sure Warren would say it was some kind of record.

"Really?" Barron drawled, a sneer curling his lip. "I find that fascinating. May I ask why? I'm fairly sure it's not because of me. Although, I would be deeply flattered if it were."

He was mocking her, baiting her.

_Shit, shit, shit, _she chorused in her head.

"I.I…" she paused, breathed, then tried again. "They wanted me to bring Warren in." True enough. She did well with the truth. "I don't want too." Again, truth. Ok, good. She hadn't lied and hopefully Barron wouldn't question that too much.

The older man smiled. It was a smile that a much younger Layla would have called a Grinch-y smile. Now she just called it evil.

"You must care a great deal about my son."

"I do." She said without hesitation. She felt more than saw Warren tense as she was keeping her eyes on Barron. If anything, the man's smile got wider, broader, and scarier.

"Wonderful." Layla screamed as a fireball erupted from the fist he flung towards her. Warren jumped, his body taking the brunt and force of it, the action knocking him backwards and straight into Layla.

Bright lights exploded behind her eyes as she fell once more to the floor, smacking her head on the tiles. She thought she heard her name, the sound of it tiny and desperate as the darkness over powered the lights and dragged her underneath.

Con't


	2. Chapter 1

**Battle and Peace**

**Jypz**

**a/n-seeing as how I can't seem to find any last names for Magenta, Zach and Ethan, I shall make them up myself. So there. Apologies for any glaring grammar or spelling errors. I'm tired.**

**Chapter One**

"You know that craps going to kill you one day." Magenta Evan said as Layla dunked her organic green tea bag into her cup of hot, filtered water. Layla just laughed and continued to dunk. "No, really. I read it on twitter."

"Please. Are you really so bored that you need to read twitter?" Magenta snorted and took a swig of her Coke, unconsciously pressing her other hand across the girth of her very pregnant belly.

"Yes." She answered simply. Layla snorted again and wrapped her hands around the warm mug. "It's not like I can work or anything, thanks to Glowboy." The dark haired woman scowled but Layla knew better.

"Just think about how soon, all of this will be over. Than you'll have that warm, sweet little bundle of joy to cuddle." She reminded her friend with a sigh. Magenta rolled her eyes again, but couldn't quite stop the smile from tugging her lips.

"You should see Zach. Every time the baby moves he's jumping all over me like some kind of crazed shiatsu hound trying to feel it."

Layla snorted at that. She took a sip of her tea and settled into the peace of being home. She was only in town for a short visit. Granted, that's all most of them were, but this one was shorter than usual. Layla was off for a well deserved vacation hiking through Canada. No on but the woods, hills and her own thoughts. She wouldn't have it any other way.

"If you're traipsing around the mighty tundra, how am I supposed to let you know when the baby has come? And what kind of best friend are you to not be around for my due date?" Magenta said, almost as if she were reading Layla's mind.

"I _will_ be here for your due date. I'm only going for a month. And you have another six weeks, tops."

"But what if I go into labor early? Do you realize you're leaving me at that mercy of Zach and Ethan?" Magenta shuddered in mock horror.

"You'll be fine. And I'll be back before you know it."

"You think maybe you'll stick around for a while?" Magenta leveled a stare at Layla that made her squirm more often than not. It was pointed and intense and said much more than Magenta could ever say in her acerbic way.

"Maybe."

"Come on, Lay. You can't run forever."

"I'm not!" Layla denied, but it sounded hollow even to herself.

"Will is hardly ever in town. His parents retired and moved to Boca freaking Raton and Warren…well. No one's sure where Warren is right now." Magenta snapped. Layla shrunk away from the names being thrown at her like well aimed darts, reminding her of why she'd left the world of supers behind.

"How are they?" she heard herself ask. She wouldn't look at Magenta as she waited for the answer, instead she glanced around the tiny apartment Mags and Zach were calling home. Her mind skipped back through time, reminding her of the last time she'd see Will. She could still see the round surprise of his eyes, the hurt that flooded his face as he stared down at the winking diamond she'd placed in his hand.

Was it possible for her heart to still ache thinking about it? Was is still fair?

"Will's fine. His parent's are in Boca, or weren't you paying attention? Warren…"

Something in Magenta's voice had Layla looking back at her. "What?" She hadn't spoken to Warren in ten years. She didn't think he'd want to associate with the woman that had broken his best friends heart.

Funny how walking away from him had hurt almost as much as leaving Will.

"Don't you read the newspaper anymore?"

"Sometimes. Mostly just to see what day it is. I lose track sometimes." Layla explained. "What's happened?" Worry coated her voice as Magenta took a deep breath, then paused.

"Jesus. Why do I have to be the one to break the news?" Magenta grumbled. With an effort she pushed off her barstool and waddled over to the dinette to pick up that days latest edition. "Here."

Layla felt her heart start to skitter when her fingers curled around the black and white paper. With some trepidation, she pulled it to her and unfolded it. It took her only a moment to find the article.

_Serial Murderer Escapes!_

"Oh my God." Barron Battle. Escaped?! "how did he get out?"

"No one knows. Or the Association of Supers isn't telling."

"How is Warren taking this?" Magenta fell silent and Layla raised puzzled eyes to her friends face. Magenta was rarely nervous and certainly didn't mind speaking her mind. So to see her hesitate about anything made Layla uneasy. "What is it?"

Almost as if on cue, the door bell rang. _Saved by the bell_ Layla thought as Magenta beat a hasty exit to answer the door.

"This better not be about Zach hacking into the national database again." Magenta grumbled. She practically growled after she pulled the door open to reveal two nondescript men wearing gray business suits and matching crew cuts outside. "Come on, don't you guys ever get bored knocking on my door?"

"Excuse us, Mrs. Evans. We're not here for your husband."

"What? Oh…Really?" Magenta's eyes narrowed. "_I_ didn't do anything. I'm just a pregnant civil servant." She crossed her arms over her breasts and glared at the men. She looked somewhat comical glaring up at these two men with her huge belly heaving in indignation that they dare be standing at her front door. Layla didn't feel like laughing though, as her stomach took a dive. Somehow she knew, before they'd even said they weren't there for Zach, that they were there for her.

"Mrs. Evans, please. Ms. Williams, will you come with us, please?"

"Layla?" What do you want with her? She hasn't had anything to do with supers in years." Magenta squawked her hands curling into fists. Layla was pretty sure her friend was about to morph into her guinea pig form and bite on of them. Not sure what that would do to the baby, Layla jumped up and reached for her battered old knapsack.

"Mags, it's ok." It really wasn't. They both knew that. But with no way of finding out what was going on other than going with the men, Layla didn't see any other recourse. "I'll call you later."

"Layla, do you want me to call your mom?"

"No."  
"That won't be necessary." Crew Cut #1 said with a tight smile. Layla quirked a brow at him that he didn't' seem to notice. "If you don't mind," he said to her, holding a guiding hand out to lead her from the apartment. He closed the door, not Magenta, and Layla felt that act was scarily final.

"I guess asking what this is about would be futile?" She asked, giving the younger looking of the two a nervous smile. He didn't even twitch.

She sighed and followed the men out of the apartment building. There was a black car at the curb; Layla could have rolled her eyes at the cliché. Crew Cut Guy #1 opened the back passenger door, looking at her expectantly. She slid inside dutifully, pulling her bag into her lap and looking out the dark tinted window. She knew they weren't going to talk to her, so she settled in for the ride.

Layla knew who they were. The Enforcers. A new division of the Department of Hero Regulation. Super Police, so to speak.

What they wanted with her, she had no idea. But since she knew she hadn't done anything wrong, she wasn't overly worried about it. There must be some kind of misunderstanding.

They drove through Maxville, the houses and buildings whizzing by. Some she remembered going to when she was younger. Others were just faded shadows of her childhood.

In no time and much sooner than Layla had expected, they pulled into the parking lot of the Maxville Court House and Municipal building. It also housed the headquarters of the Division of Heroes. Layla hadn't been here since she'd refused her assignment and walked away from Heroes and sidekicks (now called Duos) and never looked back.

Without much preamble and certainly without saying anything. Crew Cut #1 got out of the car and opened her door. She slipped out and onto the sidewalk, barely hauling her bag onto her shoulder when Crew Cut #2 flanked her other side.

_Yeah, we don't look _too _conspicuous, _Layla though, sending a jittery smile to the young mother sitting on a bench with her children. _Probably thinks I'm some sort of criminal._ How was that for ironic?

C.C. #1 pulled open the door and waited for her and C.C. #2 to go through. They led her over to the elevators, swiftly pushing through the security and the throngs of people there for the court sessions that day. They all but pushed an elderly lady out of the way to get to the last elevator in the row. Before the boarded, CC#2 stared at the handful of citizens in the car until they felt uncomfortable and filed out. Layla smiled at each one, embarrassed. Then, she was pulled onto the elevator, CC#1 pushing the door close button then pulling out a key. Instead of pushing a button, he inserted the key into shut down lock and turned it all the way to the right. There was no label, but Layla knew what he was doing.

That key opened up the secret lair of the Association of Supers. A mass underground office complex built under the Municipal building. She wondered how many people upstairs were Supers trying to get to work.

A few seconds later, the elevator doors opened once more to a scene not to different from the one upstairs. The only difference was the men and women milling around down here were all dressed in various costumes and masks. She saw Elastagirl leading her daughter-a pale girl with dark hair pulled back from wide eyes- from one of the back rooms, a schedule clutched tightly in the girl's hand. Layla new that Sky High was getting its newest freshman.

She was surprised to realize that it was that time of year. She saw even more fresh faces moving around, towards the office Sky High kept in the building. She thought she caught a glimpse of Batman-the only non super powered Super in history-but she couldn't be sure. After all, he was a bit of a recluse, and certainly an appearance by him would cause a stir, even in the Super community.

CC#1 and #2 didn't pause as they led her through the din. They walked through the main lobby, guiding her down a long hall full of doors marked with the different departments. Upstairs, the court house felt warm, almost, with all the dark wood and symbols of justice. Down here, it felt more institutionalized. More like a prison. And she knew, that there was indeed holding cells down here.

They led her through the labyrinthine halls and down a flight of stairs. Layla was starting to feel claustrophobic. Down each hall, the doors became more sparse, the light more dense. Her heart sped up as her nerves started to jump under her skin. CC#1 and #2 didn't pause, they just kept ushering her forward like a dead woman walking. And that really unnerved her.

"Could you please tell me what this is about?" Her voice broke the silence like a gunshot, startling her. Her words echoed, bouncing around the men and apparently siphoning off of them for all the attention they gave her. She thought about simply stopping, refusing to go another step until she got some answers. But she somehow thought that her escorts wouldn't be above carting her around like a sack of rocks.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of walking, CC#1 stopped in front a plain, frosted glass door. He opened it and ushered her through. There was a tiny room on the other side, with a couple of chairs and a reverse mirror. She was in some interrogation room, and she felt her panic level notch higher. What the hell could they want with her? She hadn't done anything wrong. She spent most of her time traipsing around jungles and deserts for goodness sake.

Her confusion was complete when they ushered her into the interrogation room itself. There was a long table with a pitcher of water and a few glasses situated in the middle. Another door leading who knew where was across from the one Layla had just come through. But neither of these things really registered. What had Layla riveted to the spot, with her russet brows pulled together over her eyes was the sight of the tiny, dark haired woman sitting at the table. She had a wad of tissue crumpled in one hand and her pretty face was streaked and swollen with tears.

When Layla walked in, the woman looked up, the misery etched in her face making the younger woman's heart break.

"Mrs. Peace?"

"Layla!" Relief flooded Warren's mother's features, erasing some of years. She stood, knocking the chair back with a loud scrape and advanced on Layla with a fervent gleam in her eye. "You tell them. You tell them that Warren's a good boy. You make them understand he would never join…join…They don't understand him. They never even tried because of Barron. Why make my boy pay for his father's mistakes." Judith Peace, usually a woman so put together and calm was reaching for Layla like she was her savior.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Peace, I don't understand…"

"They think my boy ran off to join that monster." Judith spat, horror that the powers that be would think such a thing evident on her face. "He's a good boy." she insisted, fresh tears welling up and spilling over her cheeks.

"I know. I know he is." Layla assured, dropping her bag and clutching the older woman's hands. "It'll be ok. They'll figure that out."

"Miss Williams?" The other door had opened while Layla was consoling Judith and Layla looked up to see an older man wearing a military style uniform. He fit in wonderfully with CC #1 and #2, his gray hair cut short and his lips pressed thin. He had the look of a man that had forgotten how to smile. Forgotten how to feel anything good at all, even.

"Yes?"

"I'm General Robert Adams. I work closely with the Association of Supers to help maintain the balance between citizen and super populations. I thank you for coming here today."

"I had a choice? Because if that's the case, I have a flight to catch." At her words, Judith clutched Layla's hands tighter and a glazed look of panic filled her eyes.

"No, you can't go. You have to tell them…"

What exactly she was supposed to convince the military and Association of Supers was beyond Layla. Just telling them Warren was a good person wasn't enough. Especially if he'd done something to make them think otherwise.

"Miss Williams, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. But we could really use your help. Your friend, Warren Peace, has…for lack of a better term, disappeared. Now, since this came on the heels of his father escaping from prison, that leads to some obvious suspicion. We know he's been visiting Barron Battle in prison for years. And it's not to short of a jump to think that he decided to join his father."

"Lies! He never visited him. Warren would have told me." Judith spat. Layla tensed and bit her lip hard.

"He did, visit him, Ms. Peace." She said quietly, turning her dark eyes to the older woman.

"What?" She looked shell shocked that Warren would have kept this from her, and if he'd been in front of Layla in that second, she might have wrapped him up in poison ivy. Naked.

"He started his senior year in high school. He said…He said it was to remind himself where he came from, what he never wanted to become."

Judith sank into the nearest chair as she tried to process this information, leaving Layla to stand in front of the General alone. She was kind of curious why there was no one there to represent the Association of Supers.

"You knew of these visits?"

"Yes. I was the only one he told. He didn't think Will would understand." This was said almost to herself, her mind drifting back to a time when friendship held them all together. How long ago that seemed now. "What is this about?" She shook off her melancholy and leveled her gaze directly on the General. The man studied her with steely blue eyes, his expression belying nothing. Then, as he opened his mouth to speak, the door behind Layla reopened-when had the crew cut crew left?- causing all eyes to turn there.

"Sorry I'm late." Layla's heart stuttered to a stop and her skin went from very cold to very hot in a second. The man standing in the door looked nothing and everything like the boy she'd once loved.

"Will," she gasped, her breath coming out with a whoosh on his name.

Will Stronghold stood there in the doorway, dressed in jeans and a button down shirt, his dark blond hair short now, his blue eyes still soft. When he looked at her, his mouth melted into a smile and she had the feeling if they didn't' have an audience, he would have hugged her. It was probably a good thing he didn't, because she wasn't sure her heart would have been able to take another surprise.

"Hello, Layla. So are you ready to go find or boy for us?"


	3. Chapter 2

**Battle and Peace**

**Chapter Three**

"You look good, Layla." The sun beat down on the pair of former lovers as they made their way out to the tiny park that was situated in the square across from the courthouse.

"What is this about, Will?" Layla turned to face him, her arms crossing her chest protectively. After he'd come into the room, he'd swept her out of there, much to the dismay of General whatever his name was. While she appreciated being out of that prison like room and away from the severe face of the General, (and much to her shame, away from Warren's mother) she was nervous being around Will.

Will Stronghold faced her, his handsome face smiling almost indulgently at her. She bristled a bit at that. He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels, his blue eyes taking her in.

"It's about Warren. Or," he amended with a slight jerk of his head, "about finding him."

"What makes you think I know where he is?" This was ridiculous. Will of all people should know she'd have no clue. She knew damn well they'd remained friends. Best friends. Warren had even stood up at Will's wedding a few years ago. Magenta had done a damn fine job on keeping her informed. Usually in small snippets dropped over green tea and coca cola.

"I know where he is." Layla's brows came together in confusion.

"Ok. Then what's this about?" She asked again.

"Look, you know Battle escaped." She didn't' tell him she'd just found out less then hour ago. She just nodded. "After Warren found out…he just went silent. Took off from a job he was doing in Malaysia, and disappeared." He paused here, running an agitated hand through his hair. The action made the light tresses stick out oddly from his head, reminding her of the boy he'd used to be. She found herself smiling. "He stopped answering his cell, his intercom. Apparently he's even ditched his tracker."

Layla grimaced at that. The tracker was implanted in Heroes once they took the oath. It was placed under the skin, usually in a place that wouldn't' be easy for the hero to remove. It was implanted for many reasons, mainly for the Agency to keep tabs on their heroes while on missions. It was safer for the heroes to be monitored this way, since it didn't involve sound. It was also used to keep track of rogue heroes, who may or may not be turning to the other side.

Much like it seemed Warren was doing.

"Do you think he's joining his father?" Layla asked quietly. She almost didn't want to hear the answer.

"Absolutely not." Will answered with such conviction, Layla let go of the breath she'd been holding. "I think he's going after Battle. And I think he'll do it by any means necessary. And I also think he's not planning on bringing his father back alive."

"Oh, Will. I'm not sure Warren would be able to do that." At least she really hoped not. The idea of Warren killing anyone, especially his father made her sick. Even though she understood he probably already had. Will smiled at her, but it didn't reach his eyes this time and she understood why. "If you know where he is, why don't you go after him?"

"Because…I'd join him." That simple statement sent chills over Layla's skin. "And that's why Warren won't contact me." Will had a wife, a family. And Warren wouldn't want him to throw that away.

Layla nodded, looking away to watch the children play on the swings.

"What the hell do you expect me to do? I'm not in this," she waved her hand in Will's direction, "anymore. I left. Remember?"

She regretted it as soon as she said it. The years melted away then and she suddenly found herself faced with the boy whose heart she'd broken.

"Yeah. I remember."

"I'm sorry, Will. I didn't…"

"Leave it. That's the past." He turned away from her then, seeking the calm he'd had. Layla stared at his back for long second, steeled herself, and then tried again.

"What I meant, I never believed in this system. How am I going to get Warren to come back? I think you have overestimated my influence on him. Especially after all these years."

"I think you've underestimated it." Will turned back to her now, reaching into his back pocket and pulling a folded envelope out. He unfolded it, letting her see her name written in the sharp, slanted writing she recognized as Warren's. Her narrowed eyes rose to meet Will's.

"What's that?"

"We found this when we searched his mothers apartment." He held it out to her. She reached out for it with shaking fingers, taking it and glancing back at Will.

"You read it." It wasn't a question. Of course they had. The Enforcers had probably opened every piece of mail, email or package Warren had received over the last several months. And this, a letter left behind could provide information about what he was going to do.

"I'm sorry." Was all Will said. Layla nodded and turned. She took a few steps away to give herself a little privacy. Carefully, she pulled out the slip of paper inside, taking a deep breath before opening it.

Just one thing was scrawled across the almost pristine white paper.

_I've always loved you._

Layla took a deep, hitching breath. The tears sprang up unbidden and uncontrollable. Her knees caved but instead of the ground, she felt two strong arms wrap around her and gather her against an unyielding chest. She cried, in hard, ragged sobs, gripping Will's shirt in an attempt to keep herself together. The grass around them started to turn brown and the large oak tree branches they'd stopped under was starting to droop.

She vaguely felt herself move, her arms wrapping instinctively around Will as he lifted her up. She was too deep in her misery to know that he'd walked them away from the scared children, who were pointing to the now dead oak tree. In fact, the only though that penetrated her agony was the knowledge that Warren wrote that confession, knowing he wasn't planning on coming back.

****

Layla sat on the back porch, staring out at the backyard she'd spent almost as much time in as her own. He'd held her until she'd stopped crying, never saying a word after she was spent. He simply placed her gently on the porch swing, tucked a stray strand of bright red hair behind her ear and gave her a sad, knowing smile. Then he'd walked away, giving her time to herself to think.

So, here she sat, with no real concept of time. She held the letter, which had been crumpled in her fist when she'd broken down. It was now spread across her lap, the wrinkles doing nothing to lessen the impact of the words on the paper. Tears leaked from her eyes, sliding down her face to drop unnoticed on her lap.

He loved her.

Something about that statement was both so wrong and achingly right at the same time. Something inside of her wanted to scream and rant, to find him and beat the hell out of him for waiting until he'd gone on a suicide mission to tell her. How was she supposed to process this? He'd obviously not wanted her to read it until he was gone, literally, horribly gone. What good would those words do her then? Did he mean them to offer her comfort? Was he that much of an idiot?

Or was it a way to torture her? To make her realize what she'd missed when she'd left, leaving him and everything else she'd loved behind. Only once it was too late to do anything about it. Was he that cruel?

"Damn you, Warren Peace." She whispered, pressing a chilled hand to her lips to suppress the trembling.

"Hello, Layla."

God, would this day never end?

"Hello, Mrs. Stronghold." Layla managed passed the lump in her throat. She didn't look up as the other woman moved out to the porch and settled herself onto a chair in front of the swing. They sat in silence for a long moment, both looking out into the backyard as dusk settled over them.

"Are you all right?"

Layla pressed her lips together, trying to fight the fresh wave of emotion flooding over her. After so long of separating herself, not allowing herself to remember what it was like to have people concerned about her. Even her family, whom she loved and missed, couldn't really reach her anymore. And now, with his confession, it was like everything she'd been denying herself was pouring over her like shards of glass in her skin.

"Just fine, Mrs. Stronghold." Sarcasm was something she was never really good at. But she found it easy this time. She couldn't even be bothered with the shame she knew she should have felt. After all, this woman had every right to hate her, yet here she was, inquiring about Layla's well being.

"I'm not judging you, Layla. I would have rather you had said no to Will when he'd asked you to marry him. But at least you rectified that mistake before the pair of you got married. That would have been a disaster." Layla didn't look at her, she couldn't. Fresh pain bloomed in her chest and she sank further down into the swing. She didn't move when Mrs. Stronghold, Jetstream, reached over and pulled the note off of her lap. "You need to go find him, Layla. He's as lost as you are, searching to right a wrong he had nothing to do with. He seems to want to atone for being Baron Battle's son. And that's not his fault; any more than you not loving Will anymore was yours."

Having said her peace, Mrs. Stronghold got up, placing the note gently back on Layla's lap. Then, she ran and a soft hand down the younger woman's arm, before patting Layla's hand affectionately. Layla wondered if she'd ever stop crying as the other woman moved back inside.

****

"What do I have to do?" Layla stood in the doorway of Will's old bedroom, which now served as another office. His apparently, as Will was sitting behind the desk, looking over some papers in a large manila envelope when she came in. He waved her fully inside, all business now as she settled into the other chair in the room.

"Basically meet up with him at the place he's holed up in, convince him he's being an idiot and get him to come home."

"Oh, is that all?" This sarcasm thing was getting easier, she realized. Will flashed a rueful grin. He reached across the desk and handed her a picture. Her heart stuttered and tripped when she saw Warren, looking every inch the desperado in a black leather trench and hat pulled low over his eyes. She hated that hat, right then, for shielding his face from her view.

"He's in a little- a _ridiculously _little town in southern Mexico. It's called The City of Fallen Angels. I mean, this place is so deeply hidden it's not on any map." He tossed a map of Mexico at her as if to prove it. He pointed to the general area and indeed, it wasn't there. "A guide will meet you at the airport and take you inside the city. This is the type of place people go to get lost, Layla. It is dangerous and probably not the sort of place a young woman needs to be in."

"Then why send me?"

"A regular young woman. You do have powers and I know you use them, no matter that you don't work for the agency." He leveled a look at her that made her almost want to squirm in her seat. She technically wasn't supposed to use her powers, since she hadn't taken the oath or become a hero with special circumstances. That was basically a hero with a sick note. She could use her powers, but it was still monitored and sanctioned by the Agency. She hadn't wanted any part of that.

"Ok." Was all the answer she had. Will smirked, something he must have picked up from Warren, because it hadn't been a natural expression when he was younger. Now he looked like he'd been wearing one since birth.

"There is no support for you down there. And, if on the off chance you can't convince him to come home peacefully, the Enforcers will come get him by force. I can't stop that." He said this with a great deal of regret. Something dawned on Layla as she looked at him and she gave a mirthless chuckle.

"Me going down there wasn't the agency's idea, was it?"

"No." Will admitted, shuffling some papers, which Layla figured he was doing just to distract himself. "If the Enforcers come for him, and he resists," _and he will resist,_ they both thought. "He will go to prison."

Layla went cold at that thought and slowly nodded her head.

"I'll do what I can." She leaned forward and took the large envelope he was now holding out for her.

_"_I know you will. Your passport and everything is in order, right?"

"Yes." Layla opened the envelope and pulled out a plane ticket and a reservation confirmation for a hotel in Mexico City.

"That's for when you get his thick headed ass to come back home." Layla snorted at that. "Good luck, Layla."

"How do I contact you?"

"You don't. If you don't check into that hotel five days after you touch down, the Enforcers will be deployed." His face was grim as he said this. Layla nodded, the weight of this…mission for lack of a better term, dragging her shoulders down.

"Goodbye, Will."

"Goodbye, Layla."

For the second time in his life, Will watched Layla walk away from him.

****

_"Por favor Senorita. Ven conmigo."_

Layla Williams jerked at the sound of the voice suddenly so close to her ear. She was in an overcrowded airport, their voices raised in excitement and agitation. Many voices over lapping one another, so that this one singled out for her, startled her.

"_Lo siento_. I'm sorry. I did not mean to frighten you." The man at Layla's side was shorter than her, with skin as brown and tough as leather. Wrinkles carved from a lifetime of working outside cut deep into his face. Dark brows peppered with gray settled over a pair of deep brown eyes. He smiled at her in a way that she assumed was supposed to be reassuring, but her edginess barely allowed her to nod her head in comprehension.

"Are you…are you Juan?"

"_Si_, _si_. I am here to take you to _Ciudad los Angeles Caidos_." _The City of Fallen Angels._ It even sounded frightening in Spanish.

The flight hadn't taken nearly as long as she would have liked. And with each passing minute, her nerves had pretty much turned her stomach into a churning mass of anxiety. This wasn't going to work. Warren Peace did absolutely nothing more or less than what he wanted to do. No one had ever been able to convince him of anything since they were kids. Even his declaration of love for her wouldn't change that. If anything, since he'd written it with no intention of telling her to her face, it would make him more determined.

What the hell was she doing here?

"_Senorita_?"

"I'm coming." Layla hefted her bag and followed the little man through the throngs of people outside. The crowds were even worse out here and she had to hurry mumbling 'I'm sorry' along the way. She skidded to a stop when she saw Juan standing next to a decrepit old truck. "How long will it take to get there?" She had a time limit after all.

"Nightfall." He said, sliding inside. Layla looked at the little truck dubiously, and wondered how that thing was going to get them out of the airport in one peace, much less all the way to the southern part of the country.

Taking a deep breath in a vain attempt to settle her churning stomach, Layla threw her bag inside the cab. She then climbed in after it and settled herself down.

"Hold on." Came the heavily accented warning. She barely had time to register the words, before the little truck shuddered once, then gave a great roar as the engine came to life. She looked over at him, her fingers scrambling for a seat belt or something to hold her down as she felt the little truck _lift off the ground!_

He grinned crazily, his dark eyes glazing a strange bluish white as his power took over the truck. A quick glance around before they zoomed into the air told Layla that he must have cloaked them, because other than a couple of glances, no one seemed to notice.

Layla grabbed the edge of the seat and held on, praying that the man didn't get distracted and send them plummeting to the ground below.

* * *

**a/n-three apologies here. One, sorry I'm not describing Mexico. Like at all. Never been there and research isn't my friend. Two, I hope this chapter doesn't feel rushed. The point of this story isn't how she gets to Warren, but what happens when she gets there. Three, again, if the Spanish is bad, blame Google. Please review, or Warren won't make his planned debut in the next chappy. ;p L. Oh yeah, fourth apology. Unbeta'd. Forgive the errors. :D**


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